He put his hand into his pocket, and brought out the Pink. It was a finer one than the King had ever seen before. Then his son said, 'Now, I will show her to you in her true form.' The moment his wish was uttered, she stood before them in all her beauty, which was greater than any artist could paint. The King sent ladies and gentlemen-in-waiting to the tower to bring the Queen back to his royal table. But when they reached the tower they found that she would no longer eat or drink, and she said, 'The merciful God, who has preserved my life so long, will soon release me now.' Three days after she died. At her burial the two white Doves which had brought her food during her captivity, followed and hovered over her grave. The old King caused the wicked Cook to be torn into four quarters; but his own heart was filled with grief and remorse, and he died soon after. His son married the beautiful Maiden he had brought home with him as a Flower, and, for all I know, they may be living still. Briar Rose A long time ago there lived a King and Queen, who said every day, 'If only we had a child'; but for a long time they had none. It fell out once, as the Queen was bathing, that a frog crept out of the water on to the land, and said to her: 'Your wish shall be fulfilled; before a year has passed you shall bring a daughter into the world.' The frog's words came true. The Queen had a little girl who was so beautiful that the King could not contain himself for joy, and prepared a great feast. He invited not only his relations, friends, and acquaintances, but the fairies, in order that they might be favourably and kindly disposed towards the child. There were thirteen of them in the kingdom, but as the King had only twelve golden plates for them to eat from, one of the fairies had to stay at home. The feast was held with all splendour, and when it came to an end the fairies all presented the child with a magic gift. One gave her virtue, another beauty, a third riches, and so on, with everything in the world that she could wish for. When eleven of the fairies had said their say, the thirteenth suddenly appeared. She wanted to revenge herself for not having been invited. Without greeting any one, or even glancing at the company, she called out in a loud voice: 'The Princess shall prick herself with a distaff in her fifteenth year and shall fall down dead'; and without another word she turned and left the hall. Every one was terror-struck, but the twelfth fairy, whose wish was still unspoken, stepped forward. She could not cancel the curse, but could only soften it, so she said: 'It shall not be death, but a deep sleep lasting a hundred years, into which your daughter shall fall.' [Illustration: 'The Thirteenth Fairy.'] The King was so anxious to guard his dear child from the misfortune, that he sent out a command that all the distaffs in the whole kingdom should be burned. [Illustration: {The King could not contain himself for joy.}]